P.E.I. government moving too fast on easing interprovincial trade restrictions, say opposition parties
Opposition parties on P.E.I. are urging caution when it comes to the Progressive Conservatives' proposed bill to eliminate trade barriers between provinces.
Debate began Tuesday in the legislature on the Interprovincial Trade and Mobility Act, introduced last Friday by Premier Rob Lantz.
The bill would ease the flow of goods to and from other provinces with similar legislation, and make it easier for workers in some regulated professions to find employment on the Island.
Lantz has said he wants to get the act through the legislature as fast as possible, but the Liberals and Greens argued that the government is moving too quickly to be able to figure out which trade barriers it should keep.
WATCH | Bees, oysters and farm machinery raised as P.E.I. politicians debate new bill on trade barriers:
"If we were the last [province] to come forward, they'd be criticizing us … but we're showing leadership by coming forward," Lantz said during question period.
"It's a priority in this country. Canadians want to see us dropping interprovincial trade barriers."
Nova Scotia became the first province to enact this type of legislation back in February in an effort to boost the economy after U.S. President Donald Trump signalled he wanted to launch a trade war with numerous countries, including Canada.
Prince Edward Island is currently the only other province to propose a reciprocal bill. The idea is that every province that passes similar laws would recognize the others' standards, regulations and accreditations.
There are some important exceptions in the P.E.I. bill — regulated health professions and lawyers would not fall under the act.
The opposition parties pointed out Tuesday that Nova Scotia's legislation had to be significantly amended after groups representing veterinarians and other professional associations said they would lose any ability to regulate or even track who was practising in that province.
There can be more carve-outs for other professions in P.E.I.'s bill, but it's not yet clear what those would be.
'Runs a risk'
There was also concern Tuesday that the legislation would supersede all other laws, including P.E.I.'s Lands Protection Act, which limits non-residential land ownership in the province.
Green MLA Matt MacFarlane says it's risky to move so quickly to enact legislation that supersedes all other laws on P.E.I. (CBC)
Green Party MLA Matt MacFarlane took issue with the first line of the act, which reads that its purpose is to "remove barriers to trade in goods, services and investment between the province and other jurisdictions within Canada."
The Greens tried to get the word "investment" removed from the bill.
"Copying from Nova Scotia's legislation and bringing it in here without looking at our unique … laws in this province, I think that runs a risk, and I think the risk is if we move too quickly through this review," MacFarlane said.The premier actually agreed with the Greens' motion, saying he didn't believe removing the term would alter the bill's purpose.
"We don't feel like the inclusion of that word provides … any undue risk," Lantz said. "We had no objection to deleting it because it doesn't substantially change the intent of the bill."
The amendment seemed to catch the PCs off guard — the premier and Finance Minister Jill Burridge voted with the opposition, but the rest of the PCs defeated it, so "investment" remains in the bill.
Lantz hopes the act will be ready for July 1 to align with Prime Minister Mark Carney's pledge to have "free trade by Canada Day."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Attention Costco shoppers: 5 money saving tips and tricks that everyone should know, according to experts
Costco is widely recognized as a go-to for bulk shoppers looking to stock up on food and groceries, home essentials and more. More than 10 million Canadians have Costco memberships that give them access to its gas station, a members-only pharmacy, Costco Travel, Costco Services, home improvement and more. But are shoppers making the most of their memberships to get best deals possible? Nichole Schaubroeck and Tina Chow are two Canadian content creators who have each earned hundreds of thousands of followers by sharing the ins and outs of saving money while you shop. 'It's very hard to find a good deal, so anyway we can save, maybe it's not as extreme as it used to be, it's still good," said Schaubroeck who runs the account Coupon Cutie, in an interview with Yahoo Canada. Keep reading to learn Chow and Schaubroeck's best tips and trips on how to navigate Costco like a pro. According to Schaubroeck, Costco's price tags are a good predictor of whether or not an item will go on sale. Items that end in .97 are likely at their lowest price, making it prime time to stock up on what you need. Another hidden hack is to look for what Costco shoppers call the 'death star,' an asterisk located in the upper right-hand corner of an item's tag. 'All this is telling you is that this item is either no longer going to be at Costco or it won't be back until next year,' said Schaubroeck. Chow, who created the account Costco Lovers Canada, said that although the foot traffic in the store is constantly changing, sales seem to follow a schedule. 'I know that most sales end on a Sunday... new sales will begin the following week,' said Chow. There's also what people refer to online as "Markdown Mondays" — when new items go on sale. While this is not a Costco-official event, it still creates a buzz for shoppers to find cost-friendly deals. 'They [Costco] are always doing markdowns," she added. Additionally, Chow noted that Costco is known for 'following the trends of what's happening in the market,' which can help attract shoppers who are looking for products for a certain occasion. For example, it's not uncommon for Costco to have a sale on hamburger buns, ketchup, mustard and relish ahead of a long weekend. Chow also recommends shopping as the weather changes to take advantage of out-of-season products at lower prices. According to Costco customer service, shoppers are entitled to 'risk-free, 100 per cent satisfaction guarantee', meaning that the majority of purchased products can be returned and refunded at any time (excluding electronics and diamond jewelry). This allows shoppers to test out products and see if it is the right fit for them. 'If I'm going out and trying a $700 Dyson [hair dryer]... I want to be able to know that I can return it,' said Chow. 'I will always go to Costco and pay more on a product for their return policy.' Costco also honours price adjustments on merchandise if the price drops within 30 days of the original purchase and the product is still in the store's warehouse. Schaubroeck added that this flexibility is a large reason as to why Canadians turn to Costco for their shopping. 'It's always nice to have that reassurance when buying something, that no matter what happens, they will take it back for you,' she said. One perk to owning a Costco membership is that it can be used worldwide at any location, which can come in handy when going on vacation. Chow said she often uses her membership when travelling to help save on food and snacks. It's even handy for shopping and saving on souvenirs and local food. Many Costco shoppers may not know that there's an official Costco app meant to enhance shopping experiences. The Costco app allows you to shop and save using online-only prices, check warehouse inventory and local gasoline prices, refill prescriptions at Costco's pharmacy, create your own shopping list in-app and more. The app also allows shoppers to receive updates on sales promotions and product entering the store, a perk that Chow said is a 'huge secret' amongst Canadians. 'There are app-exclusive savings,' she said. 'If you follow Costco on Instagram, there are also exclusive savings available there." Schaubroeck also highlights another app called Checkout 51, a platform that displays cash-back offers on Costco merchandise. While this does not apply to all products, Schaubroeck said it's an incentive worth checking out.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Outright hostility' between Wab Kinew, Obby Khan unbecoming of their offices: experts
What should have been a relatively dry committee meeting in the Manitoba Legislature last month descended into a series of "low blows" between political leaders, with Premier Wab Kinew calling Opposition leader Obby Khan a "joke," while the Tory leader repeatedly called the premier a bully. The heated exchange at an estimates meeting has been denounced as inappropriate behaviour by political experts who have observed Manitoba politics for decades. They say the episode underscores the acrimony between the governing NDP and the Opposition Progressive Conservatives that derailed legislature business during the recently completed spring sitting. The NDP threatened during the last week of the session to extend the sitting into the summer if the PCs wouldn't fast-track the government's interprovincial trade bill, while the Progressive Conservatives kept MLAs awake through the night on Monday, the last sitting day, when they demanded recorded votes on bills the NDP's majority government would certainly pass. Christopher Adams, an adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba, said there appears to be "deep-seated antagonism" between the party leaders. "When we see this banter and hostility — it's actual outright hostility — it's tough on Manitobans to see that," he said. While aggressive, rigorous questioning of government and heckling are routine parts of question period in the legislature, the exchange between Kinew and Khan came at a May 21 estimates meeting, where more substantive exchanges around policy are expected and media attention is minimal. And unlike question period, the Speaker of the House, whose duties include keeping the peace in the chamber, doesn't preside over meetings in the committee rooms. That meant the heckling and personal attacks at the estimates meeting persisted, with only the occasional interruption by the chairperson. While these meetings can be charged — former premier Brian Pallister called Kinew an "asshole" during a 2021 committee meeting, before apologizing that same meeting — the behaviour in this case lasted for several minutes at a time. Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba, said the discussion was "reduced to hurling personal insults at one another and ad hominem arguments based on the character of your political opponent across the aisle in the committee room." "I just found it disappointing." 'Low blows' at committee meeting The estimates meeting began with Khan rattling off statistics that, he argued, demonstrated a slowing economy. "All signs that this premier has officially killed the economic horse," said the PC leader, putting his spin on one of the premier's regular talking points: "the economic horse pulls the social cart." Khan's pointed criticism led Kinew to start heckling and laughing. The Tory leader then turned to one of the cameras in the room, which was broadcasting the meeting on YouTube. "You can probably hear him laughing with his arrogance and his demeanour, where Manitobans are actually serious about the economy. Premier thinks it's a joke. We don't," Khan said. "No, I think the leader of the Official Opposition is a joke," Kinew said. Many of Kinew's heckles were hard to hear on the broadcast, but some were included in the Hansard transcription. "It's unfortunate that the premier wants to use such language, but it's OK," Khan said, according to Hansard. Later, the NDP leader called Khan a "joke" again. "If he wanted to talk about what is a joke, I think the premier just needs to look in the mirror," Khan said. "If we want to talk about records and we want to talk about the past, then we can talk about the premier's criminal record," Khan added, before the chairperson asked for the discussion to return to legislative business. Thomas said the comments from both leaders were "low blows." "If anything, it turns the public off" from politics, he said. "It deepens their cynicism about politicians, weakens their trust and confidence in the governing process, and that's not healthy in a democracy." Later in the May 21 committee meeting, as Kinew kept trying to talk over Khan, the Opposition leader responded by saying he hoped Manitobans watching on YouTube could hear how the premier is "nothing but a bully." "Like when you cried in the scrum," Kinew blurted, likely a reference to 2023, when a tearful Khan described a tense handshake with Kinew. "The premier is trying to, I don't know, emotionally attack me for saying that I've cried in the House," Khan said. "So what? There's nothing wrong with a man having emotions." The verbal clashes continued. Khan dismissed the premier as a "pit bull attack dog" and a "toxic, bullying leader" — demonstrated, he said, by Kinew's previous run-ins with the law. The now 43-year-old has openly admitted to a conviction for impaired driving and for assaulting a cab driver in his early 20s — offences for which he has received pardons. He was given a conditional discharge in 2004 for an assault in Ontario, and was charged with assaulting his partner in 2003. The latter charge was stayed, although his former partner maintains Kinew threw her across the room. At the May 21 meeting, Khan also called Mark Rosner, Kinew's chief of staff, a "nightmare," reframing a comment Kinew once made calling Rosner the "Tories' worst nightmare." Kinew called for a point of order, saying his comments were misrepresented. Later, when the Opposition leader made a comment referring to the premier, Kinew responded by saying, "call me dad," according to the meeting transcription. "Maybe that's what he gets, you know, people around Manitoba to call him — maybe staffers call him 'dad,'" Khan said. Tense exchange in 2023 The feud between Kinew and Khan may have started in 2023 with a handshake at a public event in the legislature. They have different explanations of the encounter. Though it was captured on security video, that hasn't put to rest what happened. Khan, who was then a cabinet minister, alleges Kinew — the opposition leader at the time — swore and shoved him. Kinew denied that, calling it a "tense verbal exchange." | This past April, when Khan became leader of the Progressive Conservatives, Kinew didn't phone to congratulate him. Asked by reporters why he didn't try to speak with Khan, Kinew responded that "no one ever reached out and congratulated me," when he became NDP leader. That excuse, Thomas said, amounts to a "schoolyard approach," with both men figuratively arguing over who hit the other first. "It just shows the lapse in respect and civility across the aisle," Thomas said. Kinew also didn't congratulate Khan in the chamber during their first question period as opposing leaders, although he, as Official Opposition leader, congratulated new premier Heather Stefanson in 2022. When Kinew became NDP leader in 2017, he was congratulated by Pallister. In 2012, then premier Greg Selinger welcomed Pallister during his first question period as Tory leader. The University of Manitoba's Adams said the perceived animosity between Kinew and Khan essentially gives each party's caucus permission to snipe at one another, which doesn't set a good example. "We need our politicians, both on the Opposition benches as well as in the government, to behave with decorum and also not to take the bait," he said. The hostility has reached the point where the NDP is having difficulty launching something as basic as a promised all-party committee on local journalism, Thomas said. Asked about his conduct at the recent estimates meeting, Khan said he could "always try to act better," but argued the premier started it. "Manitobans need to see this side of the premier," Khan said. "They need to be concerned with the language he uses." Khan, however, denied having any ill will toward Kinew. CBC News tried for a week and a half to interview Kinew about this story, but his office declined. This week, CBC News asked his spokesperson, Ryan Stelter, when Kinew would have time for an interview, but was told he wouldn't be made available. Stelter said the premier was in Ottawa to meet with federal ministers when the request was made, and shortly after, a provincewide state of emergency was declared because of wildfires. Kinew has had a few media availabilities, Stelter said. However, they were focused on the emergency. A request for a statement from the premier's office was returned this week, but it didn't answer questions about Kinew's behaviour or the concerns about his and Khan's conduct.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: Jobless numbers spell trouble
The need to grow the Canadian economy in the face of tough economic times was underscored by the release of the latest unemployment numbers by Statistics Canada on Friday. The unemployment rate in May rose to 7.0%. That's the highest it has been since September 2016, excluding the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years, and a 12.9% increase from 6.2% a year ago in May. The Canadian economy generated a net increase of just 8,800 jobs in May, far short of the roughly 30,000 per month needed to keep pace with population growth. A total of 1.6 million Canadians were unemployed in May, an increase of 191,000, or 13.8%, compared to May 2024. A smaller share of people who were unemployed in April found jobs in May (22.6%), compared to a year ago (24.0%), and spent an average of 21.8 weeks searching for work, compared to 18.4 weeks in May 2024. Unemployment in Ontario (7.9%); Alberta (7.4%); Newfoundland and Labrador (9.7%); Prince Edward Island (8.2%); and Nunavut (9.0%) were all above the national average, as was the case in a number of cities, including Windsor (10.8%); Oshawa (9.1%); Toronto (8.8%); Calgary (7.8%); and Edmonton (7.3%). Canada recorded its largest merchandise trade deficit of $7.1 billion in April, the first full month of the tariff war with U.S. President Donald Trump, compared to $2.3 billion in March. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development last week projected meagre 1% economic growth for Canada this year and 1.1% in 2026, noting Trump's global tariff war is expected to hit the economies of Canada, Mexico, China and the U.S. hardest. Prime Minister Mark Carney proposed measures to bolster the economy on Friday, including eliminating federal barriers to interprovincial trade, increasing labour mobility and shortening the process for approving major infrastructure projects. Those are worthy long-term goals, since internal impediments to trade cost our economy $200 billion annually, raise consumer prices up to 14.5% and reduce economic growth as measured by gross domestic product up to 8% annually. But they are also long-term solutions, underscoring the importance of Carney's government producing a budget as soon as possible to reveal the Liberals' specific plans to boost the economy. For better or worse, Carney decided to delay releasing the budget until fall.
